Myron had traveled a long way to be a part of the "Aliens To Earth Study Program." He had to study very hard to be chosen by the principle at Xzoxozx Elementary School. He had traveled all by himself, 420,326 light years, all by himself to be an exchange student at John F. Kennedy Elementary in Cleveland, Ohio. He remembered laughing with his mom when he heard he was going to Ohio? Ohio, in Xzoxozxian, means party.

Myron was excited until the morning of the day of his departure. That morning as he ate his favorite breakfast of Smackleberries and Poona, he felt a little ache in his little purple snout. "This is my last bucket of Smackleberries and Poons for a long time," he mused. His mom must have seen the look in his big green eye. She slithered over and wrapped her tentacle around him.

"You'll have lots of fun in Ohio son. There will be lots of new things to learn and do."

Myron leaned toward his mom and flapped his little wings, which in Xzoxozxian, is a smile.

Myron arrives on Earth for his first day at school. The kids aren't mean to him. In fact Jill, the president of the Science Club at JFK even read a welcome announcement. But it was just that first moment when he slithered into the room. He heard everyone, including his teacher, Miss Parch, gasp.

Myron is an excellent student. (He would have never been chosen would it had been otherwise ) His humor and insightful questions about earthling behavior soon make everyone forget how he looked on the outside. Especially his descriptions of how beautiful his planet looked in deep space and how much he loved his mom. Every kid could relate to missing eating their favorite breakfast for so long.

Miss Parch asks each of the children to write about how each of them felt different in some way, from everybody else. Jill said she had curly red hair. Bart said his parents didn't speak English. Ernie had asthma. Tiffany had a lisp. Every child took a turn.

Myron feels lonely and weird... because he only sees the ways that he is different from others. His hair is green... theirs... isn't. His big blue nose. His webbed toes. He works hard to hide those things... he tries to dye his green hair blond... which ends up turning a pastel green instead. He squeezes his feet into regular tennis shoes. The blue nose.. well, not much he can do about that.

But one recess he notices... a tail on Suzy! She quickly tucks it back under her dress. And Antennas on Billy! Who quietly shoves them back under his hat. And were those... webbed fingers? On Mrs. Telles? Gloves slide back on as teaching begins.

Slowly, Myron begins to realize that everyone is hiding their differences... trying to appear "normal" and to fit in. Yet it is their differences that actually make them the same!

Myron decides to uncover his own differences in hopes that others will join in...

Duh-duh-duh... you'll have to hope I write the book so you can know how it ends! HA!

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We are so excited to be mixing things up at the Children's Book Academy, beginning with some delicious additions to the Blogfish. Meet our awesome new bloggers!!

Here's our lineup:1st Mondays begin with Clear Fork/Spork editor/art director, former agent and former kidlit professor Mira Reisberg PhDwho is also the Director of the Children's Book Academy.

2nd Mondays will feature super smart Melissa Stoller whose career is taking off with new books coming soon.

3rd Mondays will feature Bryan Patrick Avery, published writer, man of mystery, and professional magician among other things.